US3815102A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for item tracking
Assignee: Recognition Equipment Inc
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Filing: 1972-12-01
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Granted: 1974-06-04
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Expires: 1992-12-01
Abstract
Abstract Documents are fed into a transport system wherein the leading and trailing edges thereof are detected by an item presence detector. As the document travels through the transport system various control stations are passed at which an operation is selectively performed on the document. After passing the various control stations, a document is deposited in one of a plurality of stacker pockets. A document is tracked through the transport system by means of tracking logic responsive to the leading and trailing edge signals generated by the item presence detector. These signals are stored in a document directory and an item code which is periodically incremented to reflect movement of the document through the transport system. Each item code stored in the document directory is sequentially compared with a location code of the various control stations and one of the stacker pockets as stored in a transport directory. When a comparison occurs between an item code stored in the document directory and one of the station location codes in the transport directory, one of the control stations is activated to perform a function on the moving document or one of the stacker pockets is opened. As a document moves into the transport system an initial determination is made of the document''s mechanical configuration to determine if it meets certain selected initial conditions. When a fault is detected in the mechanical configuration of a particular document, a fault code is stored in the document directory and this code causes the document to be rejected into a reject stacker pocket in the transport system. For purposes of checking the transport system and the tracking logic, a document is simulated for comparison with the station location codes and the pocket codes in the transport directory.
Inventors
- 👤 J Plunkett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:43
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K13/00; G06K13/02; G06K13/06; B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/003; B07C3/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of sequentially routing the movement of an article in a distribution system for delivery to one of a plurality of channels each having a known time displacement along the distribution system, comprising the steps of: generating for each article entering the system an initial position code representing the starting of the article into the system, storing the initial position code for each article at an address of a read/write memory, generating clock pulses synchronized with the movement of an article in the distribution system, incrementing the initial position code in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the article in the distribution system, storing the incremented position code at the address location of the previously stored position code for a selected article, storing in memory an identifying code for each of the plurality of channels at an address corresponding to the displacement of each channel in the system and sequentially comparing each position code with all of the identifying codes and in response to a predetermined relation produced upon such comparison controlling one of the plurality of system channels.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of sequentially routing the movement of an article in a distribution system for delivery to one of a plurality of channels each having a known time displacement along the distribution system, comprising the steps of: generating for each article entering the system an initial position code representing the starting of the article into the system, storing the initial position code for each article at an address of a read/write memory, generating clock pulses synchronized with the movement of an article in the distribution system, incrementing the initial position code in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the article in the distribution system, storing the incremented position code at the address location of the previously stored position code for a selected article, storing in memory an identifying code for each of the plurality of channels at an address corresponding to the displacement of each channel in the system and sequentially comparing each position code with all of the identifying codes and in response to a predetermined relation produced upon such comparison controlling one of the plurality of system channels.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of generating for each article a trailing code representing the complete entry of the article at the address in the read/write memory of the position code.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 including the step of incrementing each of the trailing codes at the time intervals for incrementing the position codes to reflect the time displacement of the article in said system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the comparison stEp is made for each incrementing of the position code.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of generating a system location code to identify a section of the system, and storing the location code in the read/write memory at the address of the position code for each article, the system location code identifying a particular section of the total system through which the article is moving.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the sequential comparison between the position code and the identifying code is restricted to the identifying codes within the system identified by the location code.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of generating a reject code for an article having a predetermined characteristic, the reject code to be stored at the address of the position code in the read/write memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as set forth in claim 7 including the step of rejecting the article having a reject code stored therefor when a comparison of the position code and the identifying code produces the predetermined relation at a reject channel of the system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of generating a channel selection code for each article, and storing the channel selection at the address of the position code for the respective article in the read/write memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as set forth in claim 9 including the step of actuating channel control means as identified by the channel selection code when a predetermined relation is produced by a comparison of a position code and the identifying code for the article item associated with the channel selection code.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of routing a document through a transport system for delivery to one of a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising the steps of: generating for each document passing an item presence detection station a signal representative of the leading and trailing edges of the document, storing signals representative of the processing stations displaced along the transport system, generating clock pulses synchronized with the movement of the document in the transport system, incrementing said edge signal in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the document in the transport system, and comparing the incremented edge signals with the stored signals and in response to a predetermined relation produced upon such comparison, actuating a processing station to process the document then at said station.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of routing a document through a transport system for delivery to one of a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising the steps of: generating for each document passing an item presence detection station a signal representative of the leading and trailing edges of the document, storing signals representative of the processing stations displaced along the transport system, generating clock pulses synchronized with the movement of the document in the transport system, incrementing said edge signal in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the document in the transport system, and comparing the incremented edge signals with the stored signals and in response to a predetermined relation produced upon such comparison, actuating a processing station to process the document then at said station.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of storing the signals representative of a leading and trailing edge of a document at an address of a read/write memory.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as set forth in claim 12 including the steps of generating a document reject signal for each document having a length in excess of a preselected dimension, and storing the reject signal at the address of the leading and trailing edge signals in the read/write memory.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as set forth in claim 12 including the steps of generating a document reject signal for each document passing through the transport system in multiples, and storing the reject signal at the address of the leading and trailing edge signals in the read/write memory for each such multiple document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as set forth in claim 12 including the steps of generating a reject signal for each document in the transport system having a proximity to another document in the system less than an established minimum, storing the reject signal at the address of the leading and trailing edge signals in the read/write memory for each such close feed document.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of generating a system location signal to identify a section of the total transport system for each document to be stored in the read/write memory at the address of the leading and trailing edge signals, the system location signal identifying a particular section of the transport system through which the document is presently moving.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the comparing of the incremented edge signals with the stored signals is restricted to the stored signals within the system identified by the system location signal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of simulating document movement through a transport system having a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising the steps of: simulating a leading edge signal and a trailing edge signal to represent the passing of a document through an item presence detector, storing fixed signals representative of the locations of processing stations along the path of the transport system, incrementing the simulated edge signals in synchronism with movement of the transport system to reflect movement of the simulated document therein, and comparing the incremented simulated edge signals with the fixed signals and in response to a predetermined relationship between the fixed signals and the simulated edge signals actuating a processing station identified by the fixed signal in the comparison.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of simulating document movement through a transport system having a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising the steps of: simulating a leading edge signal and a trailing edge signal to represent the passing of a document through an item presence detector, storing fixed signals representative of the locations of processing stations along the path of the transport system, incrementing the simulated edge signals in synchronism with movement of the transport system to reflect movement of the simulated document therein, and comparing the incremented simulated edge signals with the fixed signals and in response to a predetermined relationship between the fixed signals and the simulated edge signals actuating a processing station identified by the fixed signal in the comparison.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for routing an article through a distribution system for delivery to one of a plurality of channels with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising in combination: means for detecting the presence of an article entering the system and generating an entry signal therefor, a read/write memory having address locations at least equal in number to the number of articles in the system at any given time, means responsive to the entry signal for writing an article position code into an address of said read/write memory, means for generating clock pulses at time intervals synchronized with the movement of an article in the distribution system, means for incrementing the article position code in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the article in the distribution system, a position memory having stored therein a channel position code for each channel of said system in an order related to the time displacement of each channel, and means for sequentially comparing an article position code with all of the channel position codes and in response to a predetermined relation controlling one of the plurality of system channels.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for routing an article through a distribution system for delivery to one of a plurality of channels with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising in combination: means for detecting the presence of an article entering the system and generating an entry signal therefor, a read/write memory having address locations at least equal in number to the number of articles in the system at any given time, means responsive to the entry signal for writing an article position code into an address of said read/write memory, means for generating clock pulses at time intervals synchronized with the movement of an article in the distribution system, means for incrementing the article position code in response to the clock pulses to reflect movement of the article in the distribution system, a position memory having stored therein a channel position code for each channel of said system in an order related to the time displacement of each channel, and means for sequentially comparing an article position code with all of the channel position codes and in response to a predetermined relation controlling one of the plurality of system channels.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said means for incrementing includes means for reading an article position code from the read/write memory into a modifying register at a preselected time interval, and means for incrementing the position code in the modifying register at selected time intervals to reflect the time displacement of the control item in said system.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said means for detecting the presence of an article also generates a trailing signal and the means responsive to the entry signal also responds to the trailing signal for writing an article trailing code into the address of said read/write memory as the position code for a particular article.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 including means for generating a system location code to identify a section of the total system for each article to be stored in the read/write memory at the address of the article code, the system location code identifying a particular section of the total system through which the article is moving.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means for sequentially comparing an article presence code with all of the channel position codes including means for restricting the comparision to channel position codes with the system as identified by the system location code.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 including means responsive to the predetermined relationship of an article position code with the channel position code for decoding the channel position code to generate a control signal for one of the plurality of system channels.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus for routing a document through a transport system for delivery to one of a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising in combination: means for generating a leading edge signal and a trailing edge signal as a document passes a document presence detector, means for storing fixed signals representative of the location of the processing stations along the transport path, means for incrementing said edge signals in synchronism with the movement of the transport system to reflect the displacement of a document from the document presence detector, and means for comparing the incremented edge signals with the fixed signals and in response to a predetermined relation between a fixed signal and an edge signal actuating a processing station identified by the compared fixed signal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus for routing a document through a transport system for delivery to one of a plurality of processing stations with a known time displacement therebetween, comprising in combination: means for generating a leading edge signal and a trailing edge signal as a document passes a document presence detector, means for storing fixed signals representative of the location of the processing stations along the transport path, means for incrementing said edge signals in synchronism with the movement of the transport system to reflect the displacement of a document from the document presence detector, and means for comparing the incremented edge signals with the fixed signals and in response to a predetermined relation between a fixed signal and an edge signal actuating a processing station identified by the compared fixed signal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 including means for tracking the document as it enters the transport system and for generating mechanical reject signals to be stored with the incremented edge signals for each document not satisfying a particular mechanical configuration.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 26 including means for storing the incremented edge signals between each comparison thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 27 wherein said means for storing includes a read/write memory.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein the fixed signals are stored in a read only memory.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 including a temporary storage register for receiving the edge signals from the read/write memory, and means for incrementing the edge signals in said temporary storage register.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-03 | 1977-12-03 | 1978-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-03 | 1981-12-03 | 1982-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-03 | 1985-12-03 | 1986-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |